Apparatus for and process of mixing metals.



I. E. C ANDA. APPARATUS FOR AND PROCESS OF MIXING METALS.

APPLIGATION FILED DEG. 29

Patented June 13, 1911.

INVENTOR FERDINAND E. CANDA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FQR AND riaoonss or" MIXING ME'rALs;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 13., 1911.

Application filed December 29, 1906. Serial No. 350,030.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND E. CANDA, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented an Apparatus for and Process of Mixing Metals, which are new and useful, and of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for and a process of making exact mixtures of metals, particularly mixtures comprising one or more metals of high melting point. My invention is particularly intended for application in the making of various com- 1.5 pound steels or alloy steels, from metallic matitanium is to be added, are melted sep- -arately, the titanium being melted preferably in an electric furnace, and then the two molten masses are united. In practice, considerable diflicult-y is found in pouring molten ferro-t-itanium containinga high percentage of titanium, owing to the tendency of the molten mass to solidify before the pouring is complete, and for other reasons, such as contamination of the metal by atmos- 40 pheric gases. In pouring, a comparatively large surface of metal is exposed to the air and with such sensitive materials as titaniumv this leads to formation of oxidspnitrids, etc.

The present apparatus and process provide means for and a method of uniting and mixing thoroughly the titanium or other .material of high melting point and the steel, before the titanium or like material is poured. The resulting mixture having a much lower melting point and being less sensitive to air than the titanium or titaniumalloy first melted, no difficulty is experienced thereafter in pouring the mixture. The apparatus and processv herein described are,

however, of great utility in the production of high-grade steels and the like where absolute precision in the proportions of the ingredients is essential. Under the method of manipulation adopted the necessity of pouring the molten high-melting metal is precluded, it being melted in a suitable con tainer and mixed with the steel'or other" metal which it is to alloy, without exposure to air.

According to my invention I employ an electric furnace the crucible of which is at the bottom of a pouring ladle, forming a pit att-he bottom of such ladle. The bottom of the crucible commonly forms one electrode of the furnace, the other being introduced from above through the top of the ladle; and means are provided for rais ving and lowering the latter electrode as desired, and also for covering over the crucible so as to confine the heat and prevent or minimize entrance of air or other gases,

When the refractory mixture in the said crucible has been melted and heated to give the necessary heat-margin, the cover and upper electrode-are lifted out, and molten steel to be mixed with the melted refractory material is poured into the ladle and caused to mix with the molten mass in the cruciblepit thereof; the agitation due to the pouring in of the large mass of steel in this manner andalso currents due to difierence of specific gravity of the metals, if any, resulting in a very thorough mixture of the two molten masses. I I

My invention consists in the novel combined furnace and metal receptacle; in the novel method of mixing a refractory material "with a less refractory material; and generally in the features particularly pointed out in the claims.

The objects of my invention are to facilitate the uniting of metalsof high meltingpoints with other metals; to facilitate the production of precise mixtures of metals; and to make the'apparatus simple, easily understood, and easily handled and operated.

In the accompanying drawings, I show one form ofapparatuseonstructed for carrying out the process and method of operation above described. V

In said drawings Figure 1 showsa vertical section of a combined furnace crucible and ladle such as above described, together with an electrode for such furnace and means for raising and lowering the .same and the cover for the crucible; Fig. 2 shows a more complete side vlew of'the same parts,

on a smaller scale; and Fi 3 view of the combined ladle and crucible.

In said drawings, 1 designates a ladle mounted upon a car 2 and provided with means for raising and lowering it and for tilting it, as is customary.

3 designates the metal casing of the ladle, the refractory lining thereof, 5 the main chamber of the ladle, (5 a crucible or pit extending downward therefrom, and 7 a carbon block forming the bottom of said pit or crucible and also forming one of the electrodes of the electric furnace. As shown the crucible p-it has a much thicker wall of refractory material than the body of the ladle; and this thick wall assists in retaining heat and prevents freezing of the molten titashows a. top

nium. The pit being at the bottom of the metal, and being covered until just before casting of the steel, access of air to the molten titanium is substantially precluded. The said block 7 rests upon a metal plate 8 forming the bottom of the ladle and also one of the electric terminals of the apparatus.

9 is the other electrode of the furnace. It is, customarily, a large carbon rod, se-

cured at its upper end to a water-jacketed head 10 suspended by. rod 11 from a crosshead 12 forming the other electric-terminal of the furnace. Water pipes 13 and 1d supply water. to and carry it away from the jacket of head 10. Suitable means are provided for raising and lowering the eleetrpde 9. ,It is desirable to be able to raise and lower it rapidly, and for this purpose I have indicated a power hoist 15 of the wellknown pneumatic'type. It is also desirable to be able' to raise and lower said elect-rode 9 through smaller distances, but with absolute precision and steadiness, during the operation of the furnace, in order to regulate the action of the current, prevent the cutting of the sides of the crucible, etc.;'an(l for this purpose a hand-operated hoist has been found to be most convenient. Therefore I haveshown the pneumatic hoist 15 suspended from a cranelG by means of a cable 17 passing to the drum of a hand-operated windlass 19. The operator, standing with his hand on the crank of this wind lass and his eye on the volt-n'ieter indicating the current passing through the furnace, can move the electrode 9 up and down with abso lute precision as may be required to keep the operation of the furnace steady.

20 indicates a. two-part water-jacketed cover for the crucible 6; 21 and 22 pipes for supplying cooling water thereto and carrying such water therefrom; and 23 suitable hoisting n'ieans for lifting said cover out of the furnace.

Preferably, the section f the crucible 6 is square or some ctner section having sharp angles, as shown in Fig. 3, the trunnions 2% upon which the ladle. tilts beingso placed vcnient.

(preferably on the diagonal of crucible 6, as shown in Fig. 3) that when thc ladle is tilted the lower-most corner of the crucible forms a natural spout insuring the complete emptying of the contents of the crucible into the larger chamber 5.

I do not limit myself to pouring from the ladle by tilting, as shown, but may employ any con \enicnt orwell-known method of or means for discharging the contents of the ladle. However, the tilting method is con- In the operation of the apparatus, and in carrying out the process, a charge of the material to be melted in the crucible pit 6 is placed therein, the electrode 9 is introduced, the cover 20 adjusted in position, the electric current is turned on, and the apparatus operated as an electric furnace until the charge is melted. The pit or crucible being of comparatively small volume will contain but little air and this is soon displaced by the gases given ed in heatin up, so that the titanium is practically shielded from contamination. (lover 2O aids materially in this preclusion of contamination. When this has been done, and when all is in readiness for introducing the further body of molten metal to be mixed with the charge so melted, the electrode 9 is raised, the cover 20 lifted out, and the molten metal to be added is poured into the main chamber 5 of the ladle. In so entering the la dlc much of the stream will of necessity be directed toward the molten mass in crucible 6, causing violent agitation which is exceedingly effective in producing thorough mixture of the two masses of molten metal. As soon as the proper quantity of molten metal has been added in this manner, and sufficient time has elapsed for thorough mixture, the removal of slag, etc., the mass is poured.

It will be observed that with this apparatus, and by this process, it is easy to melt in the crucible G a definite weight of the refractory material, and to do this without oxidation to any material extent. It is of course easy to add adefinite weight of molten steel or other metal when pouring into the main chamber 5; and it being insured, by the very method of mixing the two metals, that the entire charge placed in the crucible 6 is melted and mixed with the further charge poured into the ladle, it is easy to determine just what should be the weight of each charge to give the desired result.

hat I claim is 1. Apparatus for mixing meta-ls, comprising a receptacle for molten metal having a floor and having projecting downward from said lloor a crucible pit provided with an electrode of an electric heating device.

2. Apparatus for mixing metals, comprising a. receptacle for molten metal having a tome melting crucible of smaller diameter,

1 .j-eesger,

floor, and having, projecting downward from said floor a pit form'inga melting passing an .-e1ectr ic current through said pit; 4 i 1 3. Apparatus o -mixing metals, coinpris-f ing receptacle for molten-metal provided 1 crucible, and means for with means whereby it may be tilted to dis- I charge its contents, said receptacle. oom rpris. plug a main chamber forjrecelvlng'molten. 10"

' downward from said floorjfandm'eans lfo'rl' metal; having a floor, and a 1pit-,extending passing an electric currentthro-u '11 said 41-. Apparatus for mixing meta s, c0mpI 1s' 'ing a'ladle provided with means for tilting" it for pouring and havingamain-ehamber and, at a lower; level and c'ommunicatlng therewith, an electric furnace.- y Y ing a ladle adapted to receive molten metal- 6. ;Apparatus for mixing, metals comprisand having ainain chamber'and, in its bot? means for raising and lowering an electrode said crucible.

from and into'said crucible, and a cover for 7,v The process of producing mixtures of.- metals, which 'consists'in melting within asuitable'receptacle, and by the actionof jan electric current, one of the metals, and then pouring into such receptacle Lan already V melted mass of a metal to be mixed with said first metal.

8. The process of producingmigtu v with such first metal. -v 9'. The process of prooucmg lower meltingpoint'. c 10. The process 0f produclngmixtures 0fmetals, which consists in melting within a suitable receptacle-by the action of an el e 't'riccurrent, andwith substantial exclusion of contaminatingmedia, one of the metals,

and :then pouring into such receptacle an alreadV-inelted "massof aJ-metal to be mixed mixtures of metals, one of which is of high melting point, which consists 'inwmelting within a." suitable receptacle,- by theaction ofan elec- :tri'c current, vthe said "metal 'ofhigh melting point and thenpouringinto such recep-' tacle an already-melted mass" ofla. metal of metals, one: of which is of high melting point, which, consists] in melting within an electric furnace having c'apacity to receive the entire mixture, the material of high melting point, and then pouring into said furnace alread melted metal of lower melting point'an'c by the resulting. agitation f mixing the two bodies: of molten-metal.

' 11. Apparatus .for mixing metals, cfcomprising arefractory, walled receptacle contaming a} substantially" closed space of com; pa-ratively smallwdimenslons, and m comand electric means for applying heat to the contents of saidrelatively small'space.

In testimony whereof I aifix-mysigna time, in; the presence oftwo witnesses;

' ALPIioNsE K H,

H. M. R LE; f

Uopies of this patent may "be obtained for five cents eachQby addifssing the fflommissioner -ot -iatents.h Washington, D. c.

FERDINAN ND i 'lvitnesses :21 1 i V I munication with such space, anotherspace- I, "of comparatively much'greater dnnens1ons, 

